Steam trap



J. W. KAYE June 18, 1935.

STEAM TRAP Filed Feb. 27, 1953 Patented June 18, 1935 STEAM TRAP James W. Kaye, lWest Orange, N. J., assignor to Kaye & MacDonald, Inc., West Orange, N. J., a corporation ofVNew Jersey Application February 27, 1933, Serial No. 658,863

4 Claims. l (Cl. 137-103) 'I'his invention relates to improvements in steam traps and has for its object the production of a simple and efcient trap wherein the outlet valve is operated by a lloat of the inverted bucket '5 type. y

One of the principal objectsof the present invention is the production lof an improved steam trap which Yis provided with a specially constructed base having an inlet port at one pointv 4 has been released from the inlet port.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicient means for preventing a radiator from becoming air-bound and" preventing air and Awater from being pulled back t through the trap into the unit or system being drained when the system is shut off and cooled.

A further obj ect of this invention is the production of a simple and eicient steam trap having a strainery for preventing the entrance of sediment and foreign matter into the trap and also providing a sediment collecting chamber, specially designed for preventing theaccumulation of sediment within the body of said chamber orl trap. rWith these and other objectsin View, this invention consists in-certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawing: K Figure l is a side elevation of a radiator unit showing the improved steam trap attached thereto; y Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the steam trap;

vFigure 3 is a verticalsectional view taken at 'right angles to Figure 2; Y

Figure 4 is a section taken von line 4-4 of lFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5--5 of Figyure 2; y

' Figure 6 is a bottom plan 'supporting lever; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the bracket which supports the bucket supporting lever.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I designates the unit in the nature of the radiator to which the trap T is attached. The trap T comprises primarily two sections constituting a base 2 and a top or cap 3. The base 2 is provided with an inlet port 4 extending and comlrnunicatingwith the sidev of the base 2, as shown clearly inFigure 2, in which yport 4 is connected Vview of the bucket or threaded a connecting pipe 5 leading to the radiator or other unit I. The port4 terminates in an upturned or upwardly extending inlet opening 6, which inlet opening 6 comprises a'valve seat 'I upon which a ball valve 8 is adaptedto normally rest. The base 2 is provided with an upstanding collar 9 projecting vertically of the valve seat 1, and this collar 9 is provided with spaced vertically extending slots I0 to permit the passage of steam or liquid through the slots I0 as the ball valve 8 is raised fromits seat.`

The base 2 is also provided with a sediment chamber I I located adjacent the upstanding collar 9 and a suitable strainer 4screen I2 is fitted snugly upon the top of the basek 2 soI as tooverhang the upstanding collar 9 and the sediment chamber II, as clearly shown in Figure 2.; The base 2 is preferably provided with a' ledge` I3 around its upper face to constitute an eflicient seat for supporting the strainer screen I2, as shown clearly in Figure 2. l

The base 2 is provided with outletl openings I4 and I8 to which are connected the drain pipe I5, the drain pipe I5 preferably extending in a vertical direction and also constituting an efllcient support for the base 2. The outlet opening I4 communicates with a vertically extending neck I6, which neck I6 projects abovethe base 2, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and extends to a point in close proximity to the upper end II of the closure cap or casing 3. The drain or `outlet opening I4 is provided in the side thereof witha suitable plug I8 for the purpose of vfacilitating n the cleaning outof this openingshould it be dey sired. It should be also understood thata choice A suitable bushing 29- is carried by 'the upper.l

end of the upstanding tube I6 which communicates with the outlet opening I4 and this bushing 29 is provided with an opening or port 30. This opening may be closed by means ofthe `valve 3| carried by the inner end of the bucket supporting or engaging lever 32. This bucket supporting lever 32 is preferably provided with laterally extending arms 33 having -a z-pair oi' spacedparallel ilanges 34 upon the underfaces thereof v:for the purpose of providing a doubley bucket supporting lever 32, as described and illustrated, will provide a simple and efficient connection allowing for a proper and free movement of the bucket. When the bucket 39 is in its lowered position, it may rest snugly upon the. drainl ing screen I2, as shown in Figure 2.

As shown clearly in Figures 2 and 3, all of the Working parts. of the steam trap are preferably carried by the'base 2, andthe cover or cap 3 is removably secured to this base and none of the Working parts are secured or connected to the cap. This cap or housing 3 is preferably secured to the base by means of: suitable anchoring bolts 4| which'pass up through the base 2 and fit into suitable threaded sockets 42. carried or formed in the lower end of the cap or housing 3, as shown clearly in Figure 3 of the drawing. As shown in the drawing, the cap or housing 3 provides a floating chamber 43 in which the float 39 is free tooperate for swinging the lever 32 to an open and closed position to permit the valve' 3I-to move into an open and closed position with respectto the port 30.

The operation of the device isv as followsL-The condensate, steam, or air passes through the pipe 5 and through the port 6, thereby raising the ball valve 8, and then passes through the strainer screen l2 into the oat chamber 43. The iioat will remain in its lowered position with a consequent open position of the valve 3| which controls the discharge port I4. When steam or air enters the float chamber, however, the float 39 Will 'rise with a consequent closing of the discharge port by forcing the valve 3l to a closed position with respect to the opening 30, due to the swinging of the lever 32 upon its fulcrum.

VWhen the steam of the unit is shut off, the unit or system will cool down and' cause a vacuum. This condition Will allow air or condensate to leak Ibackthrough the trap and fill the steam compartment. Such a condition would necessarily require a long time to heat up the unit or system -again and would be likely to cause the water lhammer produced by the cold condensate.

Through the `medium of the structure illust trated and described, particularly referring to thev 'ball valve structure 8, this difficulty is overcome or eliminated since the ball valve will prevent the lpulling back through the c'ap of the water and air since no Water or air can be pulled back into the unit being drained when the system is shut 01T or cooled. As soon as the intake pressure is vreleased from the port '4, .the pressure from the return line would force the ball to itsseat, or the vacuum in cooling unit would cause the ball to be held tight against its seat and prevent any leaking back through this seat 'I into the port 4.

Through the medium of this structure a very sim- ;ple andV efiicient automatic control' has been provided `thereby eliminating the diiiiculty which is experienced in many systems of this kind Where itis necessary tol nrst free the air or water be- The in-^ verted bucket 39 is provided with a suitable vent opening 4U, as shown. The connection of ther fore heat can pass through the system after the' system has once cooled oif.

It should be understood that a very simple and efficient structure has been produced which will permit the unit to stay hot for a greater length 5' of time after the steam is shut off, and also will result in a saving of time in raising the temperature, particularly Where radiator service is used employing a thermostatic regulating valve.

It should be understood that certain detail 10 changes in the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed l5 asrnew` is: n Y n 1. A steam trap of the class described comprising a base having an inlet port, a check valve for automatically preventing the return flow through said inlet` port when pressure is released there- 20 from, said base also having a sediment chamscreen extending over said sediment chamber and over the end of ysaid inlet port, an outlet tube formed upon said base and pro- 2 jecting above the top-ofthe/base, a casing yfor housing said tube, a bucket valve mounted within said casing, said tube having a valve seat atits upper end, a lever connected to said bucket ,and provided with a` valve for closing said last menv 39j tioned valve seat as said bucket is raised, and: drain out means for said outlet tube.`

2. A steam trapof the class describedcomprising a base having an inlet port, a check valve for normallypreventing the return flow of liquid in- 355? to said inlet port, said inlet port having a vertically ment chamber andinlet portifor retaining said.

valve against accidental displacement, drain means 'for said sediment chamber, said base hav-- ing an upwardly extending outlettube projecting above the base, an outlet pipe communicating with the lower end of saidtube, drain and clean-l 47,5, out meansfor said tube, a casing tting snugly upon said base and projecting above said base andl enclosing said outlet'tube, said outlet tube having a valve seat at its upper end, a substantially U- shaped plate supported at the upper end of said iQ tube, a'rocking lever fulcrumed upon said; plate; a valve carried by one end of said lever for opening andY closingsaid last-mentioned valve seat, and an inverted bucket carried by the outer end of said lever.

3. A steam trap of the class described comprising a base having an inlet porta check valve for normally preventing the return iiow of liquid vinto said inlet port, said inlet port having a vertically extending discharge opening,1 said base having a Q9 sediment chamber located adjacent' said, inlet port, a strainerscreen extending over said sediment chamber and inlet port for retaining said :valve against accidental displacement, drain means for said sediment chambensaid base /hav- .6 5

ying an upwardly extending outlet-.tube projecting above the base, an outlet pipe communicating V'with the lower end ofsaid tube, drain and clean- `tially U-shaped plate supported at the upper end of said tube, a rocking lever fulcrumed upon said plate, a valve carried by one end of said lever for 17.5

opening and closing said last-mentioned valve seat, said lever having a substantially U-shaped hooked outer end, and an inverted bucket mounted within said casing, said inverted bucket having an apertured angle bracket secured thereto, said hooked end of said lever passing through said apertured angle bracket for loosely connecting said bucket valve with said lever.

4. A steam trap of the class described comprising a base having an inlet port, means for automatically controlling the flow through said inlet port, an upwardly extending outlet tube projecting above the top of the base, said tube having a. valve seat at its upper end, a lever fulcrumed upon the upper end of said tube, an inverted bucket valve suspended from one end of said lever, a valve carried by the opposite end of said lever for closing the valve seat at the upper end of ksaid outlet tube as said bucket is raised, the inverted bucket valve normally hanging below the upper end of said outlet tube, and a casing housing said-outlet tube.

JAMES W. KAYE. 

